Sunday, 28 November 2010

I was pleasantly surprised to find this morning that my interview with Rhys from Goldie Lookin Chain had been selected for an editors choice award on Suite101.com

If you still havent caught the interview and want to find more about GLC's new Christmas release you can read Goldie Lookin Chain Unwrap New Christmas Album here.

Moving on, I love listening and watching classic comedy, shows such as Dad's Army and Hancock's Half Hour have always been favourites. My love affair with my iPod allows me to listen to audio versions of these programmes with great ease.

The Blood Donor by Tony Hancock is still a classic nearly 50 years on from its original broadcast, and I chose to celebrate that in a new feature. Its amazing to think that since it was released as a vinyl record in late 1961 this has been available as a record, cassette, CD and now an Mp3 download. That's not to mention the TV version on Video and DVD... I wonder if it ever made to 8 track cartridge?

Saturday, 27 November 2010

Yesterday, I had the chance to do an interview with Rhys from comedic rap band Goldie Lookin Chain.

The band from Newport are about to release their Christmas album featuring the forthcoming single You’ll Never Be Alone At Christmas and the excellent DubStep Christmas which the band have just finished making a video for.

"You wouldn’t believe if you type in DubStep Christmas," Says Rhys, "Many other people are having a DubStep Christmas that had one last year and are planning on having another one this year. We’ll probably have a Drum n Bass new year!"

Friday, 26 November 2010

Looks like The Giant Robot has returned! Well almost - he's actually modelling the latest line of Doctor Who Audiobooks (there's not much life left in the molten metal market!).

Anyway to the point of this blog entry - One of my great passions has always been books and I must admit as I was growing up (which seems so long ago now - or am i still doing that?) I was an avid reader of the Doctor Who Target Book series.

These were an essential read to all Doctor Who fans during the 1970s and the 1980s - especially in the years before the video recorder as they allowed you to catch up on old TV adventures.

I would regularly do business in the playground with several school friends buying up their old copies of Day Of The Daleks or The Zarbi. I had quite a neat collection in the end and still have it though most confess I've not reread any of them in years.

Its been quite a boost that BBC Audio have re released several of these titles as audio books now breathing new life into the series. As well as the classic stories there are also new audio adventures featuring Tom Baker (in my opinion - the best Doctor!) and original audiobooks such as The Rising Night read by Michelle Ryan who played Lady Christina in Planet Of The Dead (and should certainly have become a regular companion!).

I've recently written some in depth reviews of some of these audiobooks and you can check out reviews and overviews at the following links:

Saturday, 13 November 2010

Christmas is coming - Rachel's got the scented candles lit and no doubt after Seren's birthday next week, I'll be constantly asked by the children to get the Christmas decorations up.

Okay, asides from my "Bah! Humbug-ness" I can't help but feel a little Christmassy.

I started uploading Christmas tracks to my I Pod last week and whenever I hear a bit of Bing Crosby singing White Christmas or Cliff Richard performing Little Town - I get snowflakes dancing before my eyes..

Seriously I do like Christmas music and today picked up a copy of Nat King Cole and Dean Martin's Christmas Album (or a variant of it) for a pound - what a bargain.

It got me thinking of what my favourite Christmas recordings are though and have compiled a list for Suite101.

Crystal Lewis' Holiday! and JaciVelasquezChristmas always evoke Christmas memories from 2001 when Rachel and I were honeymooning in lovely cottages first in St.Ives and later in Reeth, Swaledale. I guess the warm jazz style of holiday sums up those warm memories best and remains a special album to me!